(Ark & Lena) ~~~ Artist's Muses ~~~

This is the story about a a girl who for years have practiced and studied the art of manga drawing and has just gotten her first manga published. A great accomplishment considering she's a gaijin in her new hometown Tokyo, Japan. Its her first major step in leaving a footprint in the Japanese manga industry. However she quickly discovers she has got some stiff competition with her sales, apparently there is another manga that seems to always fly off the shelves when a new volume is released.... just who is this mysterious artist.....and how is she gonna outsale them....

Name: Emma Janelle Jones (pen-name J. J)Age: 23sex: FemaleHistory: She grew up in a rural town on the east coast where there wasn't much to do, and the most exciting thing to do in town was to hang out at the drive inn movie theater. But when she turned 18, she traveled a little before settling in Japan on a full art scholarship to a manga art school where she further developed her skills as an artist.Looks: (for both our characters)

Name: Toshiro newbern (Toshi)Age: 26sex: maleHistory: an europian born japanese, Toshiro had mixed parents. his father was a japanese buisness man and his mother was a french artist studing japanese pop culture back in the day. growing up in a mostly artistic home, Toshi began to learn the art of japanese anime, soon he had his own manga on shelves and was a huge succcess, his stories of love and war had captivated both the young and old, men and women....

Emma had only been in Japan for just over a month and finally had settled into her small apartment that was in a town an hour outside of Tokyo where she'd be going to school. It would take her little over an hour on the train to reach Tokyo and then a 5 block walk from the station to the skyscraper of G-force anime Studios where her classes were held. Even though she was considered gaijin and didn't have too many friends in class, she felt liked she belonged.

It was the weekend and Emma was sitting in her window seat having her morning tea as she watched the sun come up, it was something she always enjoyed doing, and enjoyed seeing, but today Emma knew she would be busy with errands and shopping. So once her tea had gotten cold, she hurried along in getting dressed and grabbed her messenger artist bag and her purse and headed out the door, list in hand.

Toshiro would quickly sit up his head slamming into the shelf overhanging from his workstation. some of his fellow co-workers would poke their heads over their computer displays to look at Toshiro who was furiously rubbing the top of his head, his blonde locks bouncing. "ow ow ow ow ow" he would say as he looked down to make sure he hadn't drooled on his current manga page. it was ordinary for an artist to fall asleep during a deadline, but being a gaijin of sorts he still got the occasion jib for being an idiot at times.

"nice one Toshi, scared me half to death ya'know" this woman was Hitomi Sugawa, one of his closest friends and buisness partner....just a fancy way of saying she was the other artist in their little company that depended on his work to keep their manga afloat. "you really should try to make it home at least once a week Toshi...sleeping here can be *giggles* dangerous to your head"

Emma was heading into her rural city's main core to wait and catch the next train into one of the larger citites to do all her shopping. She had a list of groceries as well as other supplies she had either lost during the move or simply had ran out of. She looked up towards the sky as she walked down the rural road and took in the morning sight that not many paid attention too. As she came up onto the waiting station she reached into her bag and grabbed her small study sketch book out and took a seat on the bench and began to do some quick studies of her surroundings. The buildings, plant life, even the occasional cat she made quick notes on before tucking it away again as the train started to come her way after a 15 minute wait.

Toshi's head lulled slightly with each bump as the train moved along to a stop at the station. his manga covering his face as he slept arms crossed. he was commonly stopped for autographs on trains and found this was the only way he could get away with being himself on his ride home

Emma would rise and walk over to the yellow line, waiting for the train to come to a stop. With the sound of the conductor's voice and the doors sliding open Emma would step onto the small train and find herself a seat. It was a little cool that morning and the windows on the train were still slightly fogged up from the warmth of the human bodies that came and went on the train. Finding some man asleep in a corner seat with a manga book over his face, she felt the seat near him would be alright, he after all was asleep. Sitting down she would slide her bag between her feet and sit back, checking her wrist watch she calculated it would be an hour train ride into Tokyo. With that in mind she folded her arms across her chest trying not to stare at the manga on the man's face as she read what it was about.

Toshiro would feel warm suddenly as someone sat next to him on the train... eyes still closed and hidden under his book he would dumbly feel around his seat til his hand met theirs. a woman?

"oi sorry" he would say his manga falling of his face as he went to look at the woman he had touched. she was cute, and foreign which was unusual to see since she looked so comfortable on a Japanese train. "so sorry"

Emma's head snapped in the other direction as her cheek flushed a little. "It's alright", she would say finally having the courage to glance at the man, bowing her head a little out of respect. Then seeing his manga on the train floor she would bend over and delicately pick it up, dusting it off a bit before offering it back to him. "here you are", she would say, her eyes now lingering on the gentleman's face longer than a glance.

Toshi would laugh "ah you can keep it here" taking the book he would sign the inside cover "i've got a million of them back at the office" he would give her a big goofy grin handing her back the manga "think of it as a proper apology for intruding on your space miss"

She would look at the manga and then the signature but then swallow hard. She would smile back at him as she insisted that he take it as she kept pushing it towards him, "oh I don't have any more room for manga, please sir, take it...", she would say softly, trying to keep her voice down so as not to disturb the other travelers.

this was unexpected, "no really please, sell it if you'd like i can't take it back" standing as the train came to a stop he would exit the train. that had never happened to him, someone denying a signed copy of his manga

Emma would watch as he got up and left, she however remained seated until the train had came to her stop. Getting off she would walk over to where brochures were placed and tucked the manga into one of the bins before turning going into the heart of Tokyo for a day of exploration followed by a little grocery errand.

Emma headed for the main shopping areas in Tokyo avoiding the red light district, knowing that there were men who fancied the foreigner girls. She loved Japan and all that it had to offer and she was glad she had the opportunity to move there and to be going to an art institute in the main heart. As she walked from store to store browsing different items that she might need and even though her Japanese wasn't too strong what she did know got her by. Stopping at one of the parks she would watch some street j-pop bands playing enjoying the music.

By mid-afternoon the sun was out, high and warm, a few clouds providing relief from the heat and Emma was on the prowl for a place to grab a bite to eat and something to drink. "hmmmm would it be too warm for ramen?", she would ask herself as she walked back towards the main area of the food vendors.

Toshi would awake to the warm afternoon sunlight shining across his loft. stretching he would sit up and walk over to his bathroom, taking a quick shower he would get dressed and head out with casual clothing. his sandals flopping with each step as he took the elevator to the street.....time for some food

Finding a nice ramen vendor, she would sit her small bag of food between her feet as she orders up a large bowl of ramen. Once her order was placed she bends down and picks up her bag, finding a seat at one of the empty offered tables next to the vendor's prep area.